Mistakes are a part of learning, especially in street photography. However, if you do not identify and resolve these errors, progress slows down. From technical mistakes to behavioral habits, recognizing these shortcomings can significantly improve your photography.
coming to you from peter forsgaard This informative video examines 12 common mistakes in street photography, breaking them down into four categories: technical, creative, editing, and practical. One technical mistake of Forsguard is its over-reliance on burst mode. It may seem like shooting at 20 frames per second guarantees the perfect shot, but important moments often come between frames. Forsgaard recommends learning to anticipate moments rather than relying on luck. Another common problem is using the wrong camera settings. Quick reactions are important in street photography. Forsgaard suggests presetting your camera for fast adjustments, making it ready for sudden, fleeting opportunities.
Forsgaard also discusses the trend to shoot wide open with fast prime lenses. While shallow depth of field creates an attractive look, it often removes necessary context in street photography. Including a background helps tell the story, making the scene seem alive. He recommends using greater depth of field to capture the environment without clutter, emphasizing the importance of balancing context and simplicity.
Forsgaard tends to make composition errors, which highlights the problem of not getting close enough. Hesitation leads to loose compositions that lack focus, leaving the audience unclear about the topic. Forsgaard also highlights the background, and urges you to avoid overly cluttered scenes. He emphasizes the need to include only those elements that add to the story while keeping the background clear.
Editing mistakes are the third category. Over-editing—such as using excessive filters or saturation—distracts from the authenticity of the photo. Conversely, less editing can leave your images flat and unpolished. Forsgaard believes that editing should reflect the mood and emotion of the scene, not just its literal form. Although he avoids removing elements, he encourages techniques such as dodging and burning to subtly direct attention.
The final category, behavioral errors, involves overthinking. Forsgaard says analyzing too much in the moment leads to hesitation, which leads to missed opportunities. He advocates practice to develop instinctive reactions, thereby reducing the need for second guessing. Patience is also important. Sometimes, waiting for the right moment to appear in a preconceived scenario produces better results than continuing to move. This is just the beginning, so watch the video above for the full breakdown of ForsGuard.